is great in power rich in glory in mercy in wisdom in love and goodness able to do all things good to all and his tender mercies over all his works bountiful to Servants that are but hirelings and serve him only for their own interests and rewards and may not abide in the house for ever being not made Sons How many hired Servants saith the Prodigal are in my Fathers house that have bread enough and to spare Luke 15.17 Yea good to his enemies loving them and doing good to all making his Sun to shine and rain to fall on the good and on the bad the unthankful and evil giving whole Lordships yea and Kingdoms of this world in his great bounty to them also that regard him not bâ—t hate him careful of the very inferiour creatures feeding the Ravens caring for the Fowls of Heaven even the little Sparrows five of which are sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgot before him Yea he giveth food to all flesh for his mercy endureth for ever If David counted it so great an honor and priviledge to be Son in Law to Saul an earthly and mortal King whose breath was in his nostrils and his power of narrow compass in comparison of Gods as well as his goodness Oh what may not a soul promise it self of felicity and happiness in being the Son the adopted and genuine Son of a King so great so full so good so free so liberal to and careful of all even of the worst men and creatures as God is what cannot what will not such a Father do for his Children especially such Children too as obey and abide with him Yea what may they not upon that consideration incourage themselves to look for and expect from him having also such an elder Brother with him as is infinitely perfect and dear to him to plead for them and take away the defects and sailings of their obedience towards him shall he be good to strangers provide for inferiour creatures give large crumbs and offals to dogs and birds and beasts and will he not give what is convenient to his children surely yes Shall he give good things to his enemies and neglect his children surely no. Surely he hath far better things for them then for any others not so near to him nor in such relation with him It is our Saviours argument Consider the fowls of the air for they sowe not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Mark the Emphasis Your Father and therefore loves you Your heavenly Father who in that he is heavenly is above all and hath all power and all creatures subject to him and in that he is heavenly is holy and pure from earthly affections as covetousness and other passions which our earthly Fathers are bemudded with He is your Father your heavenly Father yet he feeds them that are of no compare with him to you and to whom he owns no such relation shall he feed them and neglect you what earthly Father will do so to feed his chickens and forget or famish his children much less can or will your heavenly Father Matth. 6.26 and the like in Matth. 10.29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing and not one of them shall â—all to the ground without your Father as â—f he would say doth he that is so early related and dearly affected to you who stiles himself your Father and owns you as his Children take such care of so inconsiderable a creature as a sparrow two whereof are sold for a farthing and who are so infinitely below him that he stiles not himself in such a relation to them and can he neglect you who are his Children whom he hath so valued as to give a price greater then heaven and earth even his own Son for you Fear ye not therefore ye are of more value namely with him then many sparrows This then is a relation estating in such a condition as affords exceeding ground of highest confidence and greatest expectation in and through Christ in whom he makes and takes us for his Children of greatest advantages and fullest happiness and in the mean while of all that he that is so great and good can do for us and sees good and meet to be done Behold then what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us who are in Christ Jesus that we should be called the Sons of God Surely it s well worthy of our beholding for there is in it to be seen heighth and strength of love and affection and matter of marvellous consolation and in beholding this we may 2. Behold also how infinitely we are ingaged to God and to our Lord Jesus Christ to love and live to them to honour and glorifie them for what love was that that led the Father to give his only begotten Son to be the Son of Man and thereby exposed to all the miseries of man yea all that man by his sin had deserved as its just reward to be sustained and born by him that he might open the way from destruction to such an high priviledge as Son-ship to God by him and make him the root of it for and to us through what he hath done to him in the body he prepared and gave him could it be less then infinite love in him that moved him to design such exaltation of so base and vile creatures as we by the so great abasement of one so high and glorious as he and oh what love was that in Christ Jesus what grace what pitty what mercy and kindeness not to shrink back from the state of service to make us sons yea from the state of sin and death For he that knew no sin was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him and died for all that through him we might attain such dignity and glory as cannot be valued by us how should it engage our hearts and affections to him and make us ready with all diligence to obey and live to him that to such and so glorious an end died for us and rose again For he was made under the Law for such as were under the Law as in a sense all were Rom. 3.19 that we being redeemed from the Law might receive the adoption of Sons Gal. 4.4 5. 2. Herein also we may see and be instructed into the way whereby sinners may be made the Sons of God even they that are not so but are the children of wrath For as Christ hath by his sufferings opened and made the way for it so he thereby as raised from the dead and taken up to glory in the nature of man and owned as the Son of God and glorified is become the root of Son-ship unto us as is said and therefore the way for us to be made the Sons of God is to receive and close with him the Son of God as God is commending him and setting him forth to us by
not of his spirit that they may adde sin to sin Isa 30.1 2 15. When God calls to return to him they have no breath desire sense of motion after the things in him But we will ride upon horses say they and flee upon the swift and as in Hos 5.13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound then went Ephraim down to Assyria and sends to King Jareb c. No motion towards God but from him and therein 6. As from a dead body there issues forth filth and stinch blood and matter sometimes that is loathsome and abominable and makes it unfit to be amongst the living so is it with dead souls devoid of the life of God as Psal 14.1 2 3. The fool or fallen man fallen from God and Christ saith in his heart there is no God there 's his voidness of spiritual life sense or motion or faith towards him as also in that Rom. 3. â—2 There is none that understandeth none that seeketh after God but then beside it follows Corrupt are they and have done abominable works there is none that doth good no not one they are all become filthy or as in the Margin stinking loathsome And as in Rom. 3.13 Their threat is an open Sepulchre nothing breaths out thence but putrifaction and filth and stench things abomâ—nable to God and unacceptable to God and good men When the Doctrine of God and the Spirit of God and Christ are gone once and the savour of his Grace lost though there may be yet too a form of Prayers Fasting and outward formalities and observances yet then they are all dead works Heb. 9.14 as a menstruous cloth a filthy thing The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 and 21.27 Isa 1.11 13 14. and unpleasing to men unsavory to those that are spiritually men indued with sense reason and understanding nay often gross prophaneness and debauchery issues from them 7. And then as dead bodies they are separated from the living from the living God and his living Houshold and Family God cannot endure to look towards them with any delight or likement of them or have them in his sight or presence they are condemned of him loathed and detested as to their dead estate by him cut off from him and and his justifying and approving Grace and then objects of his anger or displeasure as any evil or vain Spirit may bring them before him or make them come as dead carkasses possessed with evil spirits into his sight 2. And so if they be not through some miraculous mercy revived they be dead as to body not only in that they must as all others come to a natural death in the appointed time but often are also exposed to in danger of and sometimes taken away by judicial deaths as either in some judgement or testimony of wrath from God as Pharaoh when drowned in the Red Sea Saul conquered by the Philistines and slaying himself and many of the Rebellious Israelites destroyed in the Wilderness or else as sometimes by some judicial deaths from men as Zedekiah and Ahab whom the King of Babylon rosted in the fire Jer. 29.22 The two Malefactors that were put to death with Christ God sometimes permitting and in anger against his people for their voluntary goings from him giving them up so far to their own hearts lusts as Psal 81.11 12. as to suffer them to fall into notorious sins such as bring not only shame but exemplary punishments by death also or however persisting they dye in their sins as to their bodies also yea and if by these things mercy be not extended so as to turn them to God and pull them out of spiritual death there follows at length 3. Eternal death of body and soul wholly cast out and separated from God and from his presence into everlasting misery and torments both in souls and bodies for ever in which is both a perfect loss and deprival of all good things both bodily and spiritual and also a perfect and eternal subjection to all misery and mischief pain sorrow and unspeakable torment upon soul and body for ever a sad and doleful portion of the workers of iniquity and of those that having been quickned up to a spiritual life let it slip again and depart from it by going away from the Doctrine of Christ and so from Christ and the Holy Spirit and so finally persist but this last was through mercy here prevented This is one expression of the sad estate of the sad estate of such persons The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 The other is Branch 2. He was lost The word say some Criticks here translated Lost is at the best of a harsh signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the best to dye yea to dye by some miserable way to perish as in this parable I perish with hunger ver 17. and so the expression of coming to himself implyes that he was extinct for a time fainted and dyed away through hunger but that the mercy of God revived him he had quite perished which is worse then simply dead perisht as we properly say of those that dye of hunger and cold and are lost for want of help or looking to he being gone away from them that used to look to him or with reference to the other Parables where whatever the Criticks say the same word is used of the sheep and groat lost â—o as not forthcomâ—ng or found and so being a loose Son he was not only a loser but quite lost himself too Such the fruit of mens sinning and wandring from God Let us view it in some particulars 1. He was a loser though that 's not all he lost his Father and his Fathers house his portion and patrimony his enjoyments he was wont to have and his brother yet had all that entertainment food rayment harbour shelter lodging attendance respect and honour which he had in his Fathers house formerly these and all things of that nature were wholly lost and gone from him and from his enjoyment and interest and is this nothing for sinners to lose both livelihood and life yea such a livelihood and such a life as God in Christ is and gives such safety satisfaction content rest and refreshing hope and rejoycing as his Word and Spirit and Christ in and by both and God in and by all give to the abiding soul to lose a most sweet secure satisfying and abiding livelihood and life it cannot be expressed to lose a Kingdom with all its contents But 2. He was lost himself he was gone quite out of all these things and out of the way to them again as a sheep lost out of its pastures He was not to be found either in his Fathers house or Fields under none of his promises under no engagement of his shelter or protection in no way of his or of his servants and peoples walkings He was gone and so are sinners out of all Gods paths and so
consequence of a great part at least of the ensuing discourse to commend to thee the great goodness of God as to those that walk with him in his ways to which he invites thee in calling thee to repentance so also to those that turn at his reproofs into his ways in his readiness to forgive sins past through his forbearance and to testifie his gladness for their escape from the dangers of destruction they were in while sinning in his giving them the comforts of his grace in Christ and taking them under his most safe and satisfying protection and blessing Surely as its better to be feasting and making merry at home with a rich liberal and loving Father than to be abroad among strangers nay enemies in a strange Country keeping swine in the cold fields and ready there to perish with hunger So and far more better is it to be in God's fear and in the faith of Jesus walking in the ways of righteousness and enjoying the comforts of the Holy Ghost in the assured perswasions of God's favour towards us and of eternal life and happiness than to be the drudges and sworn vassels of sin and Satan grapling with the stings of an accusing Conscience and fears of God's most dreadful and everlasting wrath and vengeance and hurried on in the ways of sin thereto by evil spirits who rejoyce so much in nothing as in bringing men unto everlasting destruction The assured hope of attaining which good things and escaping which evil things is in this Parable and discourse set clearly before thee as to the good ground thereof to be proved in an hearty turning to God in Christ by thee And verily the certainty of speeding well in any course is a marvailous great spur to the undertaking it hope of profit and pleasure upon uncertain grounds usually draw men to great adventures here much more do certain Behold here certain grounds of hoping for and expecting the greatest profits and pleasures that are possible proposed to thee to move thee to repentance Even a certainty grounded upon God's word who cannot lye and Christ's accustomed grace to repentant sinners who being the Son of God neither can nor will deceive us Oh then mind and be moved by them to serious and speedy repentance thy time is short thy life uncertain if thou dye in thy sins all hope of mercy is for ever gone lay hold therefore of the present opportunity while it is afforded thee lay hold on eternal life enter the strait gate set upon the holy race and so run therein as thou mayst obtain Men will divers together run in an earthly race for an earthly prize of any great value though they know before hand that but one of them shall obtain it but in this heavenly race is a heavenly prize exceeding all earthly values and all that run for it aright are sure to obtain it no ones getting it shall hinder another that runs with him Yea as in the Parable of the labourers in the Vineyard Matth. 20. they that set out a great deal later than others may yet be at the race end as soon and obtain it as fully and certainly as they that set out before them So that thou mayst run at a certainty and fight not as one that beats the Air but to good purpose if thou wilt but yet be perswaded to set upon this heavenly race and holy combate against sin and Sathan Let the greatness of the gain then proposed of the pleasures promised of the satisfaction assured and the greatness of the certainty of attaining them in a serious turning to God in Christ to seek after and endeavour for them draw thee into a stedfast resolution of quitting thy ways of sin and falshood and embracing and walking on the ways of righteousness and salvation And do it betimes and without delay least thou defer too long and the Devil and Sin draw thee on by little and little till they bring thee inevitably into Perdition But peradventure Satan will suggest unto thee to hinder thee of the good both of these my advices and of the whole following Treatise such thoughts as some men harbour in their hearts yea and some fear not to utter with their tongues reasoning to this purpose All men are under one or other of these two absolute Decrees either of Election unto life or of Reprobation to destruction and therefore I must needs be under one of them also If I be Elect as I hope I am then to what purpose is all your cost and labour for its impossible for me to miscarry what ever I do and however I live at present my sins cannot frustrate God's decree and purpose nor may you or any body else lay any sin to my charge For who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifies and if he justifie me in my present state what need is there for me to repent that I may be justified or who shall condemn me seeing Christ's death is for me and shall secure me from all my sins past present and to come so as they cannot harm me and whereas no unclean thing may inherit God's kingdome that cannot hurt me for if I be elected I shall and must at one time or other be so effectually called as against all my resistances and notwithstanding all my present sinnings I shall obey and so be washed and sanctified and shall against all fallings or possibility of falling persevere in grace to the injoyment of the inheritance And why then may I not take the pleasure of my sins while I may seeing they shall neither prejudice my conversion nor my salvation and if it be not so with me but I am a reprebate then I cannot be saved though I should endeavour to follow your advise and to repent For then Christ dyed not for me nor hath procured for me at least any effectual and saving grace some common gifts and graces indeed I may attain some illuminations good desires and half repentances which can never translate me from under this sad Decree but only will serve to aggravate my future wo while I shall sin against the greater light and knowledge And had I not better take my course then and continue as I am than put my self upon bootless labour to no purpose rising a little higher to fall the heavilier and sink the deeper into misery Needful it is to endeavour the removal of these reasonings out of thy mind which retained will render all good advise to thee wholly ineffectual and so Answ 1. Fabrit Lac. Com. ex oper Luth. clas 2. p 93 94. I might say with Luther Istae voces sunt sceleratae si praedestinatus sum sive bene sive malè egero salvabor c. those are wicked sayings If I be praedestinate live I how I will I shall be saved they tend to harden thy heart in thy sin while it is called to day whereas the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will
and Servants at a greater distance this belonged to Israel alone Psal 147.19 20. and 148.14 yet in this he bound not his own hands but that in case these his adopted children or houshould servants rebelled against him and would neither by mercies and lenity nor by his threatnings and punishments be reclaimed he might harden and give them up yea and cut them off and destroy them as any of the other Nations about them and call in others into their places as he pleased Even as Solomon suppose chose himsef houshold-servants who had great priviledges so as to be pronounced happy in them because they might stand before him and bear his wisdome so as his remote subjects could not though he was good and just to them also yet he was at liberty for all that choise to cast off or put to death any of those his servants as well as others in case they lifting up themselves in pride should rebel against him and might have taken out of his remoter subjects whom he had pleased the dispose of honours being not of any of the servants however forward or obedient but of himself the Lord though to such as were ready to obey he would be ready to give good honours and rewards as he saw fitting So was the case here as the proposals of his choice honours by him of whom the dispose is even him that shews mercy and not of any that wills or runs for them upon condition of their obedience to be continued to them and his threatningt of destruction otherwise and to call in and honor those that were not a people into their place evince see Exod. 19.5 6. Deut. 7.10 11 12. and 8.19 20. and 28.1 13 43 44. and 32 21. with Rom. 10.19 though yet out of love to their Fathers he ingaged that he would not utterly cast away all their seed but reserve a remnant always with whom he would take pains as it were further and use means still to reclaim them to obedience and being made obedient receive them into favour again see for this Jer. 30 11. and 46.28 Zech. 13.8 9. with Rom. 11.28 and in all this he exercised and still exerciseth such power over men as a Potter over his clay framing them in his providential government one to honour and another to dishonour executing wrath also on one when fitted to destruction and shewing mercy and long-suffering to another and so having mercy on whom he will have mercy and hardâ—ning in their sins and rebellions whom he will and so he hath had mercy now on us Gentiles and framed us to honour even the honour fore-given to Israel as to many things in it having called us into their place and hath shewed severity to them giving them up to hardness and blindness and framing them to dishonour because of their unbelief and stumbling at Christ Rom. 9.30 31 32 33. and 11 20. though yet he hath not so rejected them but that the Apostle still prayed for them and endeavoured even for such as had stumbled that they might be saved Rom. 10.1 and 11.14 telling us they have not stumbled that they might fall â—nd that God is able to graft them in again â—â—d will if they continue not in unbelief nor hath he so honoured us but that if we continue not in his goodness we also shall be broken off Chap. 11.11 23 24 That 's the substance of those two too much mistaken Chapters of Rom. 9. and 11. and what I have here said of them agrees with the other Scriptures 3. Now in all this God still reserves the dignity of giving eternal life to Jesus Christ only to which he hath chosen in him from before the foundations of the world all that are or come to be and abide in him through the prevailing force of his grace with them chusing culling and bringing them out of the world into him or daining framing and disposing their hearts to eternal life and so to believe on him for it whither they be of the Jews or Gentiles the honoured or dishonoured vessels 2 Tim. 2.21 as it is said Know ye that God hath set apart for himself that is to be holy and blameless before him in love so as all the chosen into the former priviledges of the visible Church are not the man that is Godly Psal 4.3 typified in Isaac Gal. 4.23 28 31. Eph. 1.4 rejecting all that refuse and disobey Christ whither Jews or Gentiles whither they be workers for life according to any law of works and rejoycers in their fleshly priviledges of whom Ishmael was a type Gal. 4.22 23 24 25. or prophane abusers of the goodness and grace of God typified in Esau Heb. 12.16 17. and therefore it behoves thee and all men to come to Christ and to his grace wherein the Election is For 4 As salvation comes of the Jews by Gods Election and hath in it blessing for all the families of the earth so from that even from Christ who is Gods salvation to the ends of the earth Isa 49 6. none in Scripture language are called Reprobate till through their willful resistances against the light truth and grace of God extended to them through Christ all means used towards them becoming ineffectual God gives them up and leaves striving with them as Psal 81.10 11 12 13. Jer. 6.8 8 29 30. Rom. 1.21 24 28. 1 Thes 2.10 11 12. for Christ that blessed seed and Gods salvation hath dyed and therein given himself a ransome for all and tasted death by the grace of God for every one and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 2 Cor. 5.14 15 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 1 Joh. 2.2 And God himself who cannot lye hath sworn as he lives that he hath no pleasure none neither secret nor revealed in the death of the wicked by his still sinning but rather that he should turn and live and therefore calls such even the worst of sinners the simple scorners fools that hate knowledge and such as disobeying these his calls to the end shall perish and he will laugh at the destruction of saying Turn ye at my reproofs behold I will pour out my spirit to you and make known my words Isa 55.7 Exek 33.11 Proc. 1.22 23 24 25. Thence doth Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles tell us that God wills that all be saved and come to the knowledge or acknowledgment of the truth which in a measure therefore at all times he was making known to and in the heathens so as they of them also that rebelled were without excuse Rom. 1.18 19 20 21. with 2.22 14 15 he being one God both of Jews and Gentiles and having constituted one Mediator of God and Men indefinitely the man Jesus Christ even him who hath given himself a ransome for all a testimony in due or in their proper seasons whence those frequent calls of all Nations all the earth to make a joyful noise to God serve him with gladness enter his Courts
incourage thee to sin or to harbour unsoundness in thy repentings It s only they that truly and unfeignedly repent that find God so gracious which as he hath not promised to any man presuming to sin so they that are unsound therein neither sooner nor latter find acceptance The Prodigal in the Parable did not only see and say it was good for him to arise and go to his Father or better than to lye there and â—â—pine and perish and yet lye there still nor did he only rise up and step 〈◊〉 step or two and turn back again for so his Father had never espyed him so as to run and meet and imbrace him but he resolved and arose and went purposed it seriously and performed it really and then he presently found hearty welcome go thou and do likewise It s not bare convincements faint wishes good desires or half repentances but in the minding Gods grace a serious and thorough arising up from sin and returning to God in Christ that finds acceptance The occasion of my penning this discourse was mainly what befell a woman in our Town of Lin who sinning against much light and grace from God was by his just and severe judgement left so to sin and her sin so brought to light as brought her to a shameful death who though God would not spare her from such a death here to warn others not to sin yet seemed to have found such mercy with God as gave her much comfort at her end I thought to have inserted the Relation of her but forbear at present least I should occasion too much sorrow to if not anger also in her relations Perhaps I may publish something hereafter if I judge it convenient in the inteâ—… peruse and make good use of what I have here done and God give his blessing with it To whom committing thee and it and my self and begging thy prayers for me if thou hast any acquaintance with him I rest Thine in what I am able for thy helpfulness Jo. Horne Lin May 16. 1668. A Gracious REPROOF TO PHARASAICAL SAINTS Murmuring at God's Mercies TO PENITENT SINNERS Luke 15.31 32. But he said unto him Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine It was meet that we should make merry and be glad For this thy Brother was dead and is a live again was lost and is found CHAP. I. The Preface paraphrasing the Parables of the lost Sheep and lost Groat with the occasion of them IT is a hard thing for men to know or think themselves righteous yea though but comparatively better than some of their Neighbours and not be proud of it and when men are proud of themselves they are very prone to disdain others whom they think not so good as themselves Yea and when they see God or his Servants preferring such upon any account or in any way of testimony thereof before nay if but equalising them with themselves they are apt to envy and fret against those persons therefore yea and to fault such Servants of God that so do and sometimes to contend against God himself For such is the nature of Pride that it lifts up it self above all and apts to be angry at and offended with what or whosoever opposeth it All which observations we may make from and find verified in the Pharisees who thinking themselves though falsly righteous disdained at sinners and murmured at Christ himself the prime servant of God yea God himself because of his gentleness and goodness towards sinners So when Matthew otherwise called Levi a Publican being himself converted made a feast for Christ and his Disciples and invited many Publicans and sinners to come and eat with him Christ not refusing their company thereat but laying hold of that occasion to become their good Physitian for curing those spiritual diseases which threatned their destruction the Pharasees were offended at him Mat. 9.10 11. Mar. 2.14.15 16. Luk. 5.27 28 29 30. And so was Simon the Pharasee because he suffered a sinful woman to come so near him as to wash and wipe and kiss his feet as he sat at Dinner with him Luk. 7.37 38 39. And the like temper we find to have been in them here in what is said of them in the two first verses of this Luk. 15. for after Christ had informed his Disciples of what they must look to part with and forgo that will be indeed his Disciples and how dangerous it is for those that have begun to follow him and therein to partake of his vertues to prove Apostates and Backsliders Chap. 14 25 34. yet it follows ver 1. of this Chapter Then resorted to him all the Publicans and Sinners to hear him As if notwithstanding all he had told them as that they who will be his Disciples must in a sense hate their dearest relations and enjoyments yea their very lives forsaking all for his sake if he call them to it and that such as forsake him after they have partook of any thing of his vertues are as salt that hath lost its favour good for nothing the vilest of men Yet then for all this ver 2. All the Publicans and Sinners drew nigh to hear him and the Pharisees and Scribes murmured saying This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them By sinners meaning such as were notoriously such such as if called Brethren as making profession of religion with us we may not afterward eat with 1 Cor. 5.11 till they repent them It seems with such Christ eat being not professedly his Disciples as yet and while they were such sinners and therein testified more civility or familiarity towards them then the Pharisees in their stricter way of Religion could well like of and therefore they murmured against him But he for vindicating his own charitable demeanor towards those Sinners spake a Parable to them yea three Parables which take up all the rest of the Chapter The first is of a man having an hundred Sheep and losing one of them which the more effectually to silence their murmuring he would have any one of them to make it his own case ver 3.4 5 6. And he spake unto them this Parable saying What man of you having an hundred sheep if he lose one of them doth not leave the ninty and nine in the Wilderness and go after that which is lost until he findes it and when he hath found it he layeth it upon his shoulders rejoycing and when he is come home he calls together his friends and neighbours sayings Rejoyce with me for I have found my Sheep that was lost His defence is very just and pregnant for what 's a Sheep to a Soul yea what 's one Sheep of an hundred to many sinful men and women perhaps almost an hundred for one and if they could not content themselves with their ninety and nine Sheep safe when but one was missing but that leaving the ninety and nine in the Wilderness where they also might meet with danger
departing and wandring from God in the wayes of sin and that is impliedly contained in the latter expressions of the latter part of his reply viz. in these words Thy Brother was dead was lost 3. The comfortable estate of such wanderers returned to God by repentance and that is signified in the whole latter part of the said reply verse 32. It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy Brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found Of these in order The first state And first for the good estate of the obeyers and walkers with God it is signified in a three-fold expression viz. 1. In the compellation Son They are the Sons of God 2. In the first Branch of the assertion to him Thou art ever with me They are ever with God And 3. In the latter Branch of it and all that I have is thine They have interest in all that is Gods A happy portion and such as one would think if minded might content any one and preserve them from envying at either the portion of the world or the portion of or Gods dealing with any of their Brethren View we it in each of these Branches in order 1 Branch First They that abide with God and depart not from him but walk righteously before him they are the Sons of God 1. Men might be called the Sons of God by virtue of their Creation in which they received their being of and from God much more then a childe his being from his Parents and so as we noted before it s said The Son of Adam which was the Son of God Luke 3.38 and by the Poet recited and approved by the Apostle Paul Acts 17.28 29. For we are also his off-spring from which the Apostle infers forasmuch then as we are the off-spring of God we ought not to think that the God-head is like to Gold c. For indeed God made man in his own Image and Likeness and therefore also man resembling God in some respects as the Son the Father might there-from be called and accounted his Son But that image and likeness especially as to any holiness purity innocency right knowledge yea or any right of dominion over the creatures liberty of will or the like was wholly lost in our departing from him and sinning against him we being there-through filled with the poison of sin the spawn and likeness of the Devil the old Serpent and inslaved by and to him children of wrath and heirs of destruction though the relation of creatures abode still yet the likeness of children was wholly lost But 2. God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son thereinto to be the Saviour of the world and to that purpose made him of a woman and under the Law that he might bear our sins in his own body on the Tree and by giving himself a ransome and sacrifice to Justice for all men as the Lamb of God take away the sin of the world by bearing and satisfying for it in himself and destroying by his death him that had the power over death even the Devil and his works Heb. 2.14 1 John 3.8 might free us or buy us from under his acquired jurisdiction and tyranny over us and from the wrath and destruction due to us into his own Dispose Lordship and Jurisdiction to be ruled over and disposed of by him John â— 16 17. 1 John 4.14 Gal. 4.4 5. 1 Pet. 2.24 1 Tim. 2.6 John 1.29 Rom. 14.9 For to this end he both died rose and revived that he might be Lord of both quick and dead Now in this that he became man he took the man-hood into unity of person with himself so as in him Man is become the Son of God the only begotten Son of God even the man Christ Jesus as he was also mightily declared to be by the Spirit of Holiness in the Resurrection of the dead as it is said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Rom. 1.3 4. Acts 13.33 and in that he in that nature hath suffered for us the just for the unjust and is become the propitiation for our sins even for the sins of the whole world and hath received into himself the immeasurable fulness of the Holy Spirit so as he may communicate to us thereof and Baptize us therewith he hath opened a way for us lost men to recover our nighness and likeness to God again that we receiving remission of sins through his Blood might be also adopted and taken into the account of his Sons being begotten by him through the revelation of his Son to us and of the grace in and by him to believe on his Son and approach to hope in and worship him in and by his Son Yea and 3. Because that man-hood which he purposed to cloath his Son with that body he prepared for him he chose and took it of the seed of Abraham Isaack and Jacob therefore to their seed also he of his Grace and Favour gave the adoption of Sons as it is said of the Jews They are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption the glory c. Rom. 9.4 when he is speaking of Israel after the flesh and such as for whom he could have wished himself accursed and had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart through the consideration of that state of unbelief they then lay in wherefore also of Israel it is said Israel is my Son my first-born and I say unto thee let my Son my first-born go Exod. 4.22 His Son both because Christ his Son in respect of the flesh he was to take was in them or some of them and in respect of the knowledge of Christ they the rest also were called to or also the Covenant the substance of which was Christ as it is said I have given him for a Covenant of the people Isa 42.6 and 49.6 and 55.3 I will make an everlasting Covenant with you the sure mercies of David Which the Apostle interprets to be Christ risen again Acts. 13.34 into which after a sort they were initiated and grafted by Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the faith that Abraham had being yet uncircumcised as the Apostle saith Rom. 4.11 even the righteousness by the faith of Christ through whom and with respect to whom they were taken into Gods house and accounted and called his Sons and Children yea and there abiding in subjection to his instructions they continued so but many of them not understanding and walking in the Faith of Abraham of the righteousness whereof Circumcision was the Seal but resting short or wandring out of it yea and opposing of it they became so far from being the Sons of God that they were by our Saviour and John the Baptist John 8.44 rightly stiled Serpents a generation of Vipers yea the seed or children of the Devil Mat. 3.8 and 23.33 4. Yea whereas God gave to that people a holy and righteous Law to convince
he was a rich creature and in honour with him But man being in honour did not consider so as to resist the temptation of the wicked one but being drawn by him into rebellion against his Maker because he forbad him the tasting of one Tree planted in the pleasurable Garden into which he put him he forfeited all that God bestowed upon him yea both mental and bodily endowments of excellency nay his very life and being and all the whole Creation given him and deserved to have been thrust back into his own nothing again or rather with the Serpent into Hell and destruction far worse then nothing Poor man But oh the riches of the mercy of the Lord that was not well pleased to see his creature man so poor but devised a way how to set him up and inrich him again and to that purpose sent forth his rich Son the Lord in heaven the maker and heir of all things and by making him one with the nature of man made him in the poverty of man that by laying down his infinite riches for man as a price of his redemption yea his rich and precious life as man he might redeem man and inrich him again and so it is said Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ one with his Father complying with and yielding to him in that design that he being rich became poor for your sakes that ye through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. But how 1. He that made himself or became poor in man made man even the manhood in himself the man Christ Jesus infinitely rich in God by so great a price as so impoverished him having satisfied Justice fulfilled Truth paid the Debt of Man overcame and got the better of what impoverished him having wrought himself out of it as it were and being raised again he was taken up to the Throne of God and accounted of God his Father as he is also judged to be by Men and Angels worthy to receive and be filled with the unsearchable riches of God So in Rev. 5.11 12. The Angels about the Throne with the Beasts and Elders pronounce Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Yea God and all his fulness is given wholly to him All the fulness of the God-head dwells bodily in him The Father is in him and he in the Father his God his Father the Spirit is upon him his Spirit the Spirit of Christ The Angels of God minister to him and attend upon him his Angels and the Angels of his might Heaven is his Throne yea the heaven and heaven of heavens is the Lords and the earth is his too and all the fulness thereof the world and all that dwell therein yea all power in heaven and upon the earth is given to him Mat. 28.19 The Father hath loved the Son and given him all things John 3.35 So that here we may say in the first place now Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him and the Son of man that thou makest such account of him and so the Apostle applies it Heb. 2.6 7 8. And so here in the first place as in the root and foundation all that God hath is mans and man is ever with him the Son of God 2. Through him God makes known himself to other men for he is the light of the world the true light enlightening every one coming thereinto and as God hath done all that he hath done to him in abasing and glorifying him for mans sake and ovt of love and pitty to man and desire of his good Oh the riches of his love and mercy to fallen man God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son and herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins John 3.16 1 John 4.10 So he hath in him thus inriched and glorified having by his death and sufferings ransomed man from death and destruction into his dispose wonderfully provided for man even prepared all this infinite fulness in his Son as God-man as an infinite treasury for the inriching of man for the Grace the remission of Sins the redemption from Thrall the fulness of Spirit and all spiritual blessings in him and possession given him it is for us men and for our Salvation and inriching but so to be enjoyed as only in and with him to whom therefore God calls and draws men both by the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering leading men to repentance Rom. 2.4 5. and by the unsearchable riches of Christ as preached in the Gospel to men inviting and alluring them to him that they might be saved by him and inriched with him Ephes 3.8 with Rom. 1 16. 1 Cor. 1.23 2 Cor. 8 9. and they that hereby are begotten to receive him and knowing his name trust in him as they in and through him receive the priviledge of Sons so being made in him the sons of God they also by vertue of him and in him become the heirs of God both as their Father and as their Inheritance joynt heirs with Christ sayes Rom. 8.16 17. for as the Father hath loved the Son so he again loves his Disciples that believe in and follow him and makes and owns them as his Friends and Brethren And as God gave him all things that were and are his so he again gives all his things and they are all things to his brethren All things are yours 1 Cor. 3.21 22. and so the beggars are lifted out of the dust again and the needy from the dunghil and set upon the throne with Princes not the Princes of this world who perish but which is far more excellent with the Princes of his people whose Kingdom shall endure for ever James 2.5 Psal 113.7 8. praised be the Lord though oftentimes they be in appearance as Princes disguised in Beggars habit and state as having nothing and yet possessing all things 2. Cor. 6.10 going on foot while servants even to Sin and Satan ride on horseback Eccles 10.7 This indeed is a mystery that the world sees not because they have not faith and therefore not understanding of it they slight it but the holy Spirit of Truth asserts it All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours But how theirs 1. Not as to actual possession fruition and enjoyment of all in their own persons and comprehensions for the Kingdom is not yet received by them only prepared for and promised to them that love him but in that respect He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son sayes Revel 21.6 7. See 1 Corinthians 2.9 But 2. In Christ their Head they possess all things He possesses all things for them and
they in him as they are his and he Gods In him we are compleat Col. 2.9 10. And 3. In and through Christ in our persons in title and interest by promise as Abraham Isaack and Jacob did the Land of Canaan while yet they had it not in possession for Israel did not take away wrongfully the Land of Canaan from the Inhabitants they claimed but their own by the gift of him who is the Lord of all the earth and had sworn to give it them and so the Fathers that are said to dye in faith not having received the promises Heb. 11.13 are yet said to have received them Heb. 6.14 that is as to promise or covenant and the title that gave them thereto Thence too the believers are said to be heirs according to promise Gal. 3.29 4. In hope and expectation that being justified by faith ye might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye hath promised before the world began Tit. 3.7 and 1.2 5. In usefulness and benefit all things working together for good to them that love him that are the called of God according to purpose Rom. 8.28 And so they that overcome and keep Christs words and keep with God are heirs of all things All that I have is thine Let us take a brief view or survey of their riches 1. God is theirs and all that he is not that he can be comprehended of and by them seeing he comprehends them and all things and is himself incomprehensible but by himself but he is their God their Father their Portion and Inheritance as to be worshipped and acknowledged by them so to inrich save and satisfie them The portion of Jacob is not like unto them he is the former of all things the Lord of Hosts is his name Jer. 10.16 and the Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him Lam. 3.24 I go to my God and your God my Father and your Father saith Christ John 20.17 an infinite portion for in having him we have infinite Wisdom to order and dispose of all things for us and our benefit and of us also for our own greatest happiness and to advise counsel and direct us in all our difficulties infinite power to effect and bring about what in the counsel of his will or wisdom he sees good to be effected and to prevent and hinder remove or destroy what he sees destructive to us infinite strength to bear up all things for us and us in all cases and to strengthen us in all services and sufferings infinite duration to continue and lengthen out our happiness for ever that we may never be deprived of it but enjoy it to eternity infinite goodness to lead him to exercise all his other attributes for our infinite and everlasting advantage infinite truth and holiness to perform all his words and promises to us c. and all this for us in and through Christ Jesus 2. Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3.23 and he is theirs and all his infinite fulness I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine saith the Spouse Cant. 2.18 and 6.3 He that hath the Son hath life and he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ that is that continueth in the belief and obedience of it He hath both the Father and the Son 1 John 5.11.2 2 John 9. and it s in having Christ that any man hath God his God and portion and hath all his fulness for him for he that transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God and it s in him he hath all things who hath and abideth in him even unsearchable riches in him infinite wisdom to order and manage all things with God for us and from God to over and about us and to direct and guide us in all conditions In him righteousness infinite and everlasting for presenting us just and acceptable in the sight of God and in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen affirmed and confirmed true and certain 2 Cor. 1.19 20. Isa 45.23 24. In him holiness infinitely for us and therein dedication to God and renewing into his image and likeness grace to make us holy and renew us and so to make us also Gods Inheritance his chosen generation Royal Priesthood Holy Nation peculiar people In him Redemption even forgiveness of sins through or in his blood Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 even infinite plenteousness of Redemption for redeeming us from all iniquities Psal 130.7 8. and so from all troubles miseries bondages death the fruits of sin lying upon us Psal 25.22 Yea even from bodily death and Grave yea from hell and destruction Rom. 8.23 Hosea 13.14 John 11.25 26. in him son-ship heir-ship title to the Inheritance John 1.12 Gal. 3.26 27. Yea in a word This is the record God hath given of his Son that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 John 5.11 12. 3. God hath an infinitely Holy Spirit which he hath put upon Christ to bring forth Judgement to the Gentiles and this he also gives in and through Christ to them that obey him Acts 5.32 to help their infirmities teach and lead them into the knowledge of Christ glorifying him to them and so into all truth to bring his words to remembrance justifie them in their Consciences sanctifie and wash them in the Blood and Name of Jesus comfort them in their exercises tribulations and temptations be a Spirit of Holiness to and in them leading them in the way of and framing and quickning them to holiness teaching them to pray and groan after God and his Grace and Mercy in Christ for their helpfulness In a word to inhabit and dwell in them through the Word or Faith of Christ and be in them as a spring of living Waters springing up unto everlasting life and gifting them for usefulness to others and so to be as rivers of living waters flowing out of their bellies or inward man to seal them up also to the day of redemption and be to them the anointing and furnisher for Gods Service the earnest of conductor to and raiser up of their dead bodies to the enjoyment of the Inheritance Rom. 8.14.26 27. John 16.14 15. and 14.16 17 26. 1 Cor. 6.11 Isa 11.2 Gal. 5.16 Psal 143.10 and 119.37 and 51.10 11. Zech. 12.10 Eph. 2.22 and 5.18 19. with Col. 3.16 1 Cor. 12.7 John 4.14 and 7.37 38 39. 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Ephes 1 14. and 4.30 4. God hath an innumerable company of Angels to minister to him Dan. 7.10 11. and these are in and with Christ the Believers and Obeyers of him Pitching their tents about those that fear him to deliver and save them Psal 34.7 Bearing them up in their hands and keeping them in all their wayes Psal 91.11 12. Sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 Inâ—iâ—â—â—ing the
into that separation and with-drawing from his Father which brought upon him all this misery that befel him which now after so large a view taken of the elder Brothers state comes in the next place as the second Branch of this Text to be considered by us viz. CHAP. VIII The second state of wanderers from God in two Branches opened and applyed THE misery of departing and wandring from God implyed in these words This thy Brother was dead was lost a two-fold metaphorical expression to represent it by Let us briefly and but briefly consider them Branch 1. Was dead A sinner by leaving God and running after sin and Satan brings death upon himself becomes as a dead man So Solomon tells us too Prov. 21.16 He that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall abide in the congregation of the dead For as the Apostle saith also to the Believers Rom. 8.13 If ye walk after the flesh ye shall dye and it must needs be so for 1. With God is the fountain of life Psal 36.9 In his favour is liâ—e Psalm 30.5 and his eternal Word or Son is that eternal life that was with the Father in the beginning in whom was life and that was manifested in these last dayes more fully to us 1 John 1.2 with John 1 4. The Spirit of God is life and the spirit of life Rom 8.2.10 by whom God through Christ breaths in life and so this God this one Father Son and Spirit having life in himself gives life also to others as he pleases and hath given to all life and breath and all things and so in the beginning when he made man made him of the dust of the earth and breathed in him the breath of life and man became a living soul Gen. 2.7 both as his body and person was made alive in the world indued with breath sense motion and understanding and also as his soul or inward man being upright and having its dependance on God being in subjection to his Word and Spirit in his image and likeness and so in his favour while upright he was owned of him and in union with him and had peace and joy and spiritual life in himself as so deriving it from him but in departing from him his word and command which is life and tends to life also is death and man so doing he dyed Spiritually First as to the loss of the favour of God in which was his life and of his subjection to God and fellowship with his Word and Spirit the fountain and conveyor of life and he fell under his displeasure in and from which is death even the death of the spirit of man inasmuch as the favour and fellowship of God his Word and Spirit being withdrawn his life was withdrawn with them and inasmuch as it lay open to his anger to inflict misery upon it and so the inward state of the soul and spirit became unquiet dead without sense of the life of God the favour spirit and operations of his grace in it and was filled with fear shame guilt as the effects of the life withdrawn and misery deserved and exposed to and then bodily death as to its principles entred and so the sentence for dying at Gods pleasure bodily and for ever had not mercy looked upon man and prevented followed also Gen. 2.17 and 3.18 19 Rom. 5.12.18 2. But God rich in mercy looking back upon his prodigal Son man here devised his recovery and to that end sent his Son or Word that eternal life that was with him and made him flesh and in that flesh mortal and under the sentence of death that was upon man and accordingly delivered him up to death for our Sins who by his death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil and swallowed up death from off the nature of man as it is in him and filled it with immortallity and eternal life so as he having dyed dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him but the fulness of the God-head dwells in him bodily and all the fulness of his favour grace and blessing in which is life yea and the Spirit of Life is in and upon him so as he also in dying and by his death inasmuch as it was sustained by him for us even for all men hath obtained a release of all men from under that first Death and Judgement in which all universally and alike were condemned to dye as it did and must have stood upon us without his interposing and hath the ordering of Death and Grave and Hell in his hand and dispose with power and authority to bring us thereout and enliven and quicken soul and body yea and invest them with immortality and eternal life as pleases him he being in himself and for mankinde the resurrection and the life the deliverer and the raiser and the only ground or foundation cause and effector of the Resurrection in others either as to soul or body and the life quickning them and in which they being quickned live John 11.25 Yea in him is and God hath given to us even to the same us whom he commands to believe which is all men or men indefinitely eternal life so as that in partaking of him we partake of the Resurrection and are raised up in and by him in our spirits and partake of life spiritual life and so whosoever believeth in him though dead in himself is enlivened by him and shall live and being made alive in believing and going on yet to believe shall not dye shall not lose this life that he hath in and by him for ever but is alwayes in the raised state as to his state spiritually and shall be so at the last day bodily too and so alwayes in the favour of God in which is life in a justified state from sin and wrath curse and death and in a state of acceptation with God and heir-ship to the life promised further of God in and by him and hath his interest in and fellowship with God the fountain of life and the Spirit of God and its influences who is the Spirit of life and gives and upholds life as it is said He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life and so as all mankinde are in a released state from the destructiveness of the first death as in and of it self and in a possibility of life because in the hand of Christ where is life even spiritual and eternal life yea both for soul and body as in a root and fountain for them and communicable to them so all such of men as in hearing and receiving the Word and Doctrine of Christ which is called the word of life and life Acts 5.20 John 6.63 Prov. 4.13 because Christ objectively is in it as the matter of it set forth in and by it and his Spirit which is life and the Spirit of Life accompanies it and breaths in it are therein by the
little aside and it will let us return again where as when it hath once got us out of the way it leads us into a Wildernessâ— where we lose our selves and can finde no way out how desperate a thing is it to believe the deceits of sin or of a deceitful heart then which there is nothing so deceitful or more desperately wicked in the world It will bid us put but a little from the shoar and when it hath got us off makes us launch out into the deep It carries the heart as with a storm into the Ocean whence it returns not again but by the belly of Hell like Jonas if ever it return how many sinners flatter themselves in their own eyes till they fall into the deep sleeps of sin and awake not out of them but in death either temporal or eternal O what Wine or Woman what sport or Pastime what Honour or Advancement nay what Crown or Kingdom is that that can be worthy of the loss of so great a happiness as is that of the obedient Children in Christ or of the incurring of such a portion as endless yea or but as the danger of endless destruction What folly and madness is it to exchange an infinite Birth-right for a mess of Pottage and beside that loss to incur the punishment of a perpetual dungeon with all the exquisitest torments can can be thought on Use 2. Therefore also it speaks admonition to us all to take heed of departing from the Lord yea it is to all a warning to take heed and stand in awe and not to sin though more especially to such as have tasted the graciousness of the Lord and been in any measure brought to him not to revolt and depart from him again All that are far from God shall perish and needs they must because they are far from him that is the fountain of all good life and safety but God destroyes all them that go a whoring from him Psal 73.27 They shall not only perish as out of necessity as being without that that should keep them alive but God himself also will set himself against them to heap upon them what makes for their destruction I will heap mischiefs upon them I will spend mine arrows upon them saith he Deut. 32.23 Oh therefore take we heed of an evil heart of unbelief of departing from the living God for not only there is nothing like him we can go after from him if we turn aside from him we must needs go after vain things and things that cannot profit because they are vain 1 Sam. 12.21 but also if any man draw back Gods Soul shall have no pleasure in him which is but a figurative expression of more meant then said as namely that he will with-draw from him and be angry with him It is good for us to hold us fast by God and that we may do so its good and needful 1. To take diligent heed to his word and testimony minding meditating and yielding up our selves to the obedience of the truth and grace discovered therein and the wholesome counsels and commands therein and there-from given for by what means shall a young man cleanse his way but by taking heed thereto according to Gods word and what way is there to be kept from sinning against or departing from God like the hiding his word in our hearts as David sayes he did Psal 119.9 11. Blessed is the man that makes the word of the Lord his delight and therein meditates day and night for he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers side not to be blown away with any winde of Doctrine or temptation as the chaffe in the floor as ungodly men Psal 1.3 4. We Ought therefore to give earnest heed to the things which have been spoken to us in the Gospel lest at any time we let them slip Keep wisdom and her instructions and she and they will keep us Hebrews 2.1 Prov. 4.6 2. To walk in company with and in the love of our brethren those that are wise for that 's the way to be wise Prov. 13.20 Two are better than one in many respects either to hold one the other up from falling or help one the other up when fallen Eccles 4.9 10. And a three-fold cord is not easily broken There 's warmth in such fellowship Did not our hearts burn within us while walking together Christ joynâ—d himself and communed with us Luke 24. â—2 There God commands the blessing and life for evermore where brethren dwell together in unity Psal 133. So we may exhort one another to love and good works yea daily while it s called to day to the preventing our hearts being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.12 13. and 10.24 3. To watch and pray that we enter not into temptation Watching and taking heed to the word of God and in the light thereof against Satan and what would draw us from God and praying and crying mightily to God for our selves and one another that he would shew us his way lead us in his path and guide us and uphold us that we fall not yea to hold us up in our goings that we may be safe as knowing that we need his guidance and support at all times and that of our selves we are good for nothing Matth. 26.41 Psal 25.4 5. and 27.13 14. and 119.116 117. 4. To beware of all such things as might undo us and with-draw us from God as to say as of all sin in general so particularly 1. Of sinful porings upon our own weaknesses unworthiness inabilities to do or suffer with a neglect of the Grace given us in Jesus Christ for our helpfulness every way Take heed of an evil heart of unbelief but casting away the weights that press us down and the sin that easily besets us let us run with patience the race set before us looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of the faith Heb. 3 12. and 12.1.12 2. Of knowing our selves in any of our receipts gifts attainments and so of being puffed up with pride to be high minded and to think to live of our selves and not upon and by the Faith of Jesus Christ Pride goes before destruction and a haughty minde before a fall Prov. 16.17 18. Be not high minded but fear Rom. 11.20 21. The desire of a portion in himself and his conceit of living upon that portion received was the fall of the Prodigal that brought this death and loss upon him Luke 15.11 12. 3. Of false Prophets who would draw us from Christ into our selves or after the world and flesh from walking in the narrow way of truth to wander in the broad way of sin and errour Matth. 7.13 15. Cease to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge and go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lip of knowledge Prov. 14.7 and â—9 27 4. Of the inticements of sinners and of worldly carnal persons
Praises of God Yea this is a thing meet to be joyed in and for 1. By God his Father himself for so he puts in himself here not only its meet that thou shouldst make merry but we I and thou too A wise Son makes a glad Father Prov. 10.1 My son be wise and make my heart glad that I may answer him that reproacheth me Prov. 27.11 Though this Son had done foolishly in departing and running away from his Father and when he began to be an hungry in joyning himself to a Citizen of that Countrey yet he did wisely when coming to himself he repented and returned and the Father here rejoyces and hath wherewith to answer his other Son reproaching him So also in Prov. 23.15 16. My Son if thy heart be wise my heart shall rejoyce even mine yea my reins shall rejoyce when thy lips speak right things It s meet a Father be glad of his Sons welfare 2. By his Brother or Brethren it is meet we should make merry and be glad not only I but thou also with me for should not brethren love one another and be glad they may enjoy one anothers company in health and safety and therefore be glad when any of them escapes any danger and the more the greater the danger was that is escaped and then 3. By the Servants also that attend on them There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth ver 10. and I have no greater joy saith one of Gods Servants in the Gospel then to hear or see that my Children walk in the truth yea and to repent and turn from swervings too so the Apostle Paul the Servant of Christ Now I rejoyce saith he not that ye were made sorry but that ye were made sorry to repentance 2 Cor. 7.9 4. But most of all by the sinner himself made alive again and found of his Father and in his Fathers house amongst his Brethren whether in the lower rooms while here or in the upper chambers as the Thief or Malefactor that day he dyed was in Paradise O give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Let the redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy c. Psal 107.1 2. Quest But why is it meet to make merry and be glad for such a one upon such an occasion surely there is great and good reason for it Answ 1. Because of the goodness of the condition it self in which a repentant sinner is found or brought into Good things are matters of joy when had and enjoyed here 's nothing but good in this state good it is in it self and good to all others therefore worthy joy and mirth and gladness 1. Good in it self for 1. It is a state of life and life is good in it self and therefore matter of promise which it would not be if not good for we do not use to promise what we judge bad and if God judged life bad or it were so in it self God would not promise it He is just he shall surely live Ezek. 18.9 It s matter of prayer Oh that Ishmael might live before thee Gen. 17.18 Let Reuben live and not dye Deut. 33.6 And its matter of praises Psal 1â—9 175 Let my soul live and it shall praise thee and let thy judgements help me Yea it s a matter of Christs purchase that he came into the world to procure and give yea the principal matter I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly John 10 10. and therefore surely life is good a great good Yea skin for skin said the adversary and all that a man hath will he give for his life 'T is usually so but especially spiritual life the life of the soul in Christ and so in the favour of God is good The life which is in the path of righteousness wherein is no death Prov. 12.28 And this is the state the sinner is taken into upon repentance and coming back to God in Christ as in Ezek. 18.17 If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that that is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not dye and ver 22. He shall live So in Chap. 33.11 Turn and live Being brought back to God in and by Christ the only way by which any can come or be brought to God John 14.6.7 he lives in and by Christ who is the Resurrection and the life so as that whoever believes in him whatever he be or hath been though never so dead yet he shall live and living and believing in him he shall live for ever John 11.25 26. And so it s said here He is alive again Object Oh! but the repenting Malefactor upon the Cross dyed for all his repentance Answ As to his body he did and all must and that as so inflicted on him was the fruit of his sin not of his return yea as to its sentence a means of his return from his sin but that which was the fruit of his repentance was that he lived to God Being judged according to 〈◊〉 in the flesh but living according to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4.6 and so his soul lived and went that day to Paradise and lived for ever His death as it was the fruit of his sinning was matter of sadness but as it was a means to his repentance so it was to be joyed in but much more the life of his soul and eternal life promised to and to be enjoyed by both soul and body in the Resurrection the fruits or consequents of repentance are matters of unspeakable joy and gladness if a Childe fall into the fire will not the mother rejoyce to see him snatched out of it and live safely and in health again though with causing the scorched skin to peel off surely yes 2. It is a state of being found a found state a state wherein a sinner is not lost from God and his goodness to his Brethren and fellow Servants but is found in and with them known owned and approved with God and with men Angels of one minde â— God and so is with them under the gracious approving knowledge of God and under his gracious care counsel defence c. and in unity with all that are well and happy found in a large and spacious house in and under the enjoyment of or title to large Provisions richest Furniture sweetest Relations and Friends abiding and eternal safety and satisfactions Come to Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem to be of them as Ephes 2.19 20. and to an innumerable company of Angels to have fellowship with them and protection by them to the General Assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven as owned of God and inrolled as heirs of heaven and its infinite glory and happiness to be with
at God's dealings sometimes in such cases as if God could not be so gracious to such offenders as if it stood not with his holiness and especially if they be soon comforted and pretend to great peace and joy in their death having done and committed some hainous offences as Adultery Murther Felony c. They are apt to suspect they are but deluded persons and Satan that inticed and deceived them to commit such sins hath again deceived them to make them think God is merciful to them and forgives and accepts them To whom I would say It 's possible for Satan to delude souls after that manner as to make them presume of mercy without serious and hearty repentance of their sins as Agag who said Surely the bitterness of Death was past with him when he was gâ—â—ing to his execution 1 Sam. 15.32 and I wish many do not so delude themselves I am afraid it is so But yet it 's not good to either abridge the mercies of God towards nor the merits of Christ for the souls of greatest sinners so as to despair that such may be converted heartily and received again certainly and sometimes suddainly or to judge their repentance and consolations when there is no manifest appearing ground for so doing much less when there are appearing evidences of the contrary That God may both convert and forgive upon conversion greatest offenders many things may evince as the Parable also implies as 1. It is but suitable to God's oath who hath sworn that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rather that he turn and live Ezek. 33 11. as we noted before and to his calling the worst of sinners the simple scorners and fools that hate knowledge Prov. 1.22 23. And those that are compared to the Princes of Sodom and the people of Gomorrha Isa 1.10 15 16. c. promsing forgiveness to such upon their repentance yea and back sliders that have come toward him and gone back again promising to heal their back slidings Jer. 3.12 14 22. Hos 14.4 2. It is suitable to the end of Christ's coming who came into the world to save sinners even chief of sinners even such as are Murtherers of Fathers Murtherers of Mothers Menkillers Whoremongers Defilers of themselves with Mankind Man stealers Lyers Perjured persons yea and those that by the Apostle are counted nothing inferior to but rather greater than these zealous Pharasees that set up their own righteousness against God's in Christ and out of false zeal persecute Christ in his truth and members for upon that account he afterward after mention of such notorious offenders stiles himself the chief of sinners though a Pharasee and one of the strictest sect for Religion among the Jews and far from those gross fleshly abominations 1 Tim. 1.9 10 13 14 15 16. indeed nothing but the blood of Christ and the grace of God in him will make such sinners or any sinners else to be Saints or cleanse them from their fins that will as appears in 1 Cor. 6 9 10 11. where such horrid offenders that had been such are said to be washed to be justified to be sanctified which what is it but to be made Saints in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God no sorrows tears or humiliations of ours can do it without purging with hysop Psal 51.7 that is with the blood and by the spirit of Christ and that will 3. Otherwise we must exclude from heaven those that the Scripture enrols among the Saints if we think God cannot convert and forgive great sinners or never doth What was David but a great sinner being guilty of acting adultery and murther and yet I hope he was a Saint Indeed he found many ready to say of him there was no help for him in God when God began to call him to account for his sin as appears Psal 3.1 2. the title whereof is a Psalm of David when he fled from Absolon his Son but yet he found it otherwise so as to rejoyce and glory in God vers 3. Thou art my shield my glory and the lifter up of my head Though Absolon's rising up against him was a punishment for his sin and a remembrance of it yet God was so therein with him having repented to shew the reality of his repentance and truth of God's acceptance of him that he was helped to carry that punishment of his sin with much magnanimity God lifted up his head when many thought as some Pharasaical Saints are apt yet to think of great sinners especially if brought to shameful sufferings for their sins as he then was surely he must be lamentably distressed and dejected in his spirit and hang down his head He lay him down and slept in the midst of his troubles for God sustained him and he would not be afraid of ten thousand of people that had set themselves against him round about ver 5.6 See what a saint-like spirit yea even under their sufferings for their sins God sometimes endues great sinners with upon their repentance and surely we may not say they were deluded and therefore neither may we conclude that others are so if having been great and notorious offenders they upon turning to God find him comforting them yea and filling them with expressions of confidence of his favour towards them and of their salvation For indeed 4. Christ therefore suffered like a sinner and malefactour that sinners yea such sinners as deserve and have shame and punishment here even the Crosse or Gallows for their just reward might through him be called and brought to repentance and dye like Saints and be Saints in their dying that is have hope and joy in him and in his salvation and this was evidenced in the Crosse and at the death of Christ For Christ himself though the Son of God and the most just person that ever was in the world yet he dyed like a Sinner Malefactour Thief or Murtherer not onely in that he suffered such a death as such offenders used to be put to by men the death of the Crosse but also in his dying as to the manner of it in respect of grief sorrow agonies that did accompany it yet not without evidences of his righteousness and hope in God his Father For did not he sweat through the violence of his agonies as it were great drops of blood trickling down to the ground And did he not cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me As bearing upon himself the punishment of such capital offences though upon our account not his own that such as are guilty of such offences and deserve such sorrows agonies and rejections of God might through him have hope and comfort in God in their dyings though of violent deaths by legal punishments as was seen in the Malefactor that suffering with him dyed like a Saint We finde no such matter testified of him no agonies nor exclamations as his sins deserved but on the contrary
rebuking his fellow sufferer for his reproaching Christ acknowledging the justness of their sufferings and our Saviours innocency and praying Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdom he heard this comfortable word which doubtlesse strengthened his confidence and gave him full assurance of his salvation Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Surely this was written for an incouragement even for such offenders also to hope in God by Jesus Christ and betake themselves to him for mercy in an humble acknowledgement of their offences and of his power to forgive and help them which that they also may obtain of him even to the giving them large confidence in him and full assurance of their salvation Christ's graciousness to him doubtless doth testifie that none may say what should such hainous sinners dye like Saints though yet in one sense such dye not as Saints while they glory not in nor justifie the cause of their death as those that dye for Christ and righteousness sake may and often do but in that regard take shame to themselves and acknowledge the righteousnesse of the shame and punishment ordered to them as deserved by them and submit themselves thereto And surely it would be too great an injury to the grace of God and to his love to mankind and to their welfare and too great a derogation to the vertues of the precious blood and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus to imagine that such mercy may not be shewed to them that are so great sinners both as to make them in their receit of it hearty in their repentance and chearful in their spirits under their sufferings in the hope of God's salvation Object Ah! but the suddainnesse of the conversion and speedinesse of the consolations and the coming so easily by them without more drooping and humiliation makes some question They expect such great sinners should long lye under dejection and sadness before they get a good word from God and if not so they are apt to conclude them under a delusion or but hypocrites in their profession of joy and consolation Answ Truly I would not be misunderstood to speak in behalf of any that are not truly penitent and turned in to Christ or that are daubed with untempered morter and slightly healed Yet this is evident that sometimes the grace of God makes quicker work in mens conversion and he more speedily comforts them thereupon than the wisdom of the flesh or of man judges fitting as by this Parable appears as also by the carriage of the Pharasees toward Christ often censuring him for his receiving sinners while it appears they were not satisfied of their conversion I conceive had they been first made Pharasees they would not then have been offended and judged them sinners still The woman that at Simon 's house stood behind Christ and washed his feet with her tears c. had not satisfied the Pharasee that she was a convert for then would he not have had indignation thereat nor said in his heart If this man were a Prophet he would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him for she is a sinner Luc. 7.39 Surely Christ knew her better then he did and knew her to be a real convert though it seems she had not so publickly bewailed her self and bewailed her sin as to satisfie the Pharasee that she had left it And what appears to have been the sorrow and humiliation of the Malectour we finde nothing said thereof and yet evident tokens appear of his real conversion and he had speedy absolution For 1. He rebuked his fellow for his carriage towards Christ as if he had been turned a suddain Preacher of repentance to him Fearest thou not God seeing we are in the same condemnation 2. He confessed his sins and justified the righteousness of his death submitting himself upon that account to bear it patiently And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds 3. He confessed Christ and justified him in his sufferings and that when the whole multitude the Princes Priests and zealous Pharasees and learned Rabbies the chief builders did most of all reject him despise and deride him And when he was in his deepest sufferings But this man hath done nothing amiss 4. He in this lowest case of Christ when his own Disciples durst not own him owns and professes his faith in him that he was Lord and King and that he should have the kingdom and so that God would glorifie him through and after those his sufferings saying Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom And 5. In that faith he calls upon him as upon the Saviour of the world or of sinners saying Lord remember me c. as intimately professing his faith that he could forgive and save and blesse him We finde no great lamentation for his sin nor dejection under the sense of it but yet a better confession of faith we scarce finde from any of the Apostles who were now shrunk from him Yea Peter that thought to have stood it out denied him See here how suddainly and silently the grace of God may work a notable alteration as to conversion and then see the speediness of Christ in forgiving and comforting He lets him not hang long drooping to his death upon the Crosse but presently tells him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And was it not so with David he said he would confess his sin and God forgave the punishment of it He said but I have sinned and Nathan replies the Lord also hath taken away thy sin thou shalt not dye Psal 32.5 2 Sam. 12.13 So Peter had but begun to speak to the Gentiles and presently the Holy Ghost fell on them and they spake with tongues without any long humbling them first for the sins of their Gentilism or bringing them into the profession of Judaism by circumcision as it seems the Disciples of the Jews had some thought he should have done by their quarrelling with Peter for his eating with and receiving them Acts 11. Yea and Peter himself says what was I that I could withstand God! as if there might be some such leaven in him also as to have kept them longer out from comfort and made them more humbled first before he would have received them had they been at his disposing Truly I suspect it s our hypocrisies or want of thoroughness in coming off from our idols our sticking long in the place of the breaking forth of children that increases and lengthens our throws and sorrows Hos 13.13 As while David kept close his sin his bones waxed old and he roared out with daily disquiets Psal 32.1 2. the heart that comes off soon and roundly from its sin is sooner comforted So the compassionte Father here so soon as he sees his Sons resolution and finds him upon his way to him yea While he was yet a great way off presently runs to
at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple Act. 3.7 8 making him to leap up and stand and walk and to enter the Temple leaping and walking and praising God So doth his heavenly Name in which is this spiritual food this flesh and wine proposed strengthen us to dance Leaping o're the Mountains Skipping o're the Hills Capring to those Fountains Whence this liquor Drills Mounting up to Heaven And to Earth descending To shew unto Men Where 't is safe depending For this chear lifts up the heart above all fears droopings and discouragements and above all towring objects of inticing vanities and allurements to take a view and converse with heaven and then lets down again to men to shew forth the vertues and praises of Lord to them and guides in all to regular and heavenly ordered motions according to the instructions of the grace and operations of the Spirit of God and Christ No such dancing no such mirth as this which God allows his children in which they may spend their days and in a moment go up to heaven contrary to that of the wicked and their children Job 21.11 12 13. With this were the Epicures and Pleasure-mongers of this world acquainted they would leave their drinking and drabbing their dandling and dancing to come to this feast and would they come indeed hither this loving Lord and glorious feast-maker would intertain them as he did this Prodigal Yea and perswades the Pharasaical to agree with them therein letting go their own righteousnesse which is spiritual whoredome to adore however much they make of it and in the view of it look a squint at publicans and harlots received in while they stumble at the grace of God to sinners and keep out from this fatted calf they do but make golden calves of their own to delight in worship and dance about and commit adultery spiritual adultery as bad in the sight of God as bodily adultery with Though they think it their righteousnesse it s but stollen waters bread eaten in secret because they think the table of the Lord contemptible and his meat polluted by being exposed to and partook of by such unholy ones in their apprehension But I say God would perswade them relinquishing those their stollen waters and secret breads to come and joyn with their penitent Prodigal Brethren in this feast of love where they might eat and drink and sing and play and dance till they take a frisk at God's calling them out of the flesh into the heavens where they might everlastingly live and love in the bosome of their Father and embraces of the Lamb and sing Hallelujahs for ever and ever It is meet that we thus make merry and be glad for thi thy Brother was dead but is alive again was lost but is found Blessed be God CHAP. XIII The Conclusion in some Poems Psalm 23. THe Lord 's my Shephead I shan't want In pastures green he feeds me And there to lye down doth me grant And by still waters leads me My fainting Soul he doth restore And guides me in right ways For his own names sake I therefore To him sing laud and praise And though with death and grim despaire I grapple I 'le not care For thou art with me thy Scepter And staffe my comforts are Thou dost support me by thy power Thy strength is all my stay And by the same what would devour Thou drivest far away In midst of my disdainful foes My table thou dost spread My cup of comfort overflows Thy balm anoints my head Thy mercy and goodnesse alway Shall compasse me about And in thine house I 'le ever stay And never more go out Amen Finis 1. Spring up O well to it we 'l sing The praises of the Lord. Let each musitian strike his string And all herein accord 2. Oh Lord how wondrous is thy love What one is like to thee It doth exceed and goes above All things that we can see 3. The heaven above the earth beneath And all that is therein Do shew it yea it shines through death And gloryeth over sin 4 What is it thou hast done or said Ere since the world began Yea or before the world was made Wherein thou eyd'st not man 5. Didst thou not all things for him make And all things to him give Thou shew'dst the course that he should take That he might ever live 6. Nay when he heedless of the love Against thee did rebel Thy only goodness did thee move To care he might do well 7. When he forlorn and all undone Helpless and hopeless was Thou then sent'st forth thine only Son Thy will to bring to pass 8. Which was this wretched Man to raise Through his own Death and Blood Vnto a state more worthy praise Then that where first he stood 9 Him thou declar'st and to him call'st Thy very enemies By him thou heal'st their wounds and falls And Fools thou makest wise 10. They that obeying to him come To them thou dost impart Thy self and all things so great room Have they within thine heart 11. They that refuse or from him stray Thou dost not presently In wrath destroy or cast away Being loath that they should dy 12. Thou usest means them to reclaim By sweets and sowers as thou Who all things knowst dost see their frame And what may make them bow 13. When vilest Sinners worthiest Of Wrath to thee return Thou intertain'st them with the best Thou glad'st them when they mourn 14. Thou such a Feast for such hast made As shews thy love most dear To Mankind Oh it can't be said How vertuous is its chear 15. A fatted Calf thou hast prepar'd More than the world to thee Which to Men worthless of regard Thou giv'st their Meat to be 16. This fatted Calf help us to praise So long as we remain When we are down it doth us raise And make us strong again 17. His Flesh as meat the Soul doth feed His Blood Man's Heart doth chear He 's such a Robe as Sinners need None like it can we wear 18 With Songs and Musick here our hearts Rejoyce may and nothing Of worth there is but this imparts Vs unto bliss to bring 19. Dear Lord clear up our eyes that we More clearly may discern The vertues in this Food that be And cause us them to learn 20. Come all ye Sinners far and near Let go what doth you kill Come hither Tast this dainty chear And eat thereof your fill 21. Here you may eat and drink and sport And heavenly pleasures get Riches and honours and comforts Wherof none may you let 22 Here 's that will satisfie your hearts When all things else prove vain Here 's that will cure your wounds smarts And make you whole again 23. Come murmuring Momus too whose eye Doth grudge to see our Chear Let go disdain Pride and Envy Here 's room too for thee here 24. Think not thy self too good for those That intertain'd here be For that thy proud thought will thee